


life (only getting greater)

by ackermanx



Series: reglay family shorts [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi | Fire Emblem: Binding Blade, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Gen, Other Characters Are Mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 17:27:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12845997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackermanx/pseuds/ackermanx
Summary: late nights, early mornings, and all the nonsense in between





	life (only getting greater)

**Author's Note:**

> things i have discovered: writing the reglay family has become a coping mechanism

A knock at his door shakes Erk out of his half-asleep stupor.

 

"Y-Yes?" he calls, voice only slightly panicked as he scans his room. The lamps were still burning (and still upright), he hadn't knocked any inkwells over in his sleep, and his papers were still scattered all over in exactly the same places they had been before. There were ink stains on his hands and fabric creases on his face, but those were fine. Normal, even. "The door's unlocked, come on in!"

 

Pent's smiling face peers into the room through the now half-ajar door. "Erk. Are you perhaps hungry?"

 

"Hm?" Erk blinks uncomprehendingly. "I...I don't think so, no. Why do you ask?"

 

"First of all, I have some relatively fresh baked cookies that Louise made." Pent maneuvers around the room with a loaded tray in his hands and somehow manages to a) not spill any cookies and b) not trip over any books. "Second of all, I assume you don't realize what time it is?"

 

Erk had already stuffed three cookies into his mouth (gosh, he had been  _famished_ and hadn't even realized) before the last statement sinks into his mind. He stops chewing, lunges across the table to grab his pocket watch, and groans.

 

"Oh," is all he can say when he finally manages to read the time accurately. "Two AM, huh?"

 

Pent just inclines his head in acknowledgement. "You know, Louise is worried. Me, too, especially with Klein and Clarine. You're their favorite family member, and that does involve a lot of impromptu play dates; which isn't bad, I think it's wonderful that they've gotten so accustomed to you so quickly, but the children are very..."

 

He twirls his finger in the air, trying to think of the right word.

 

"Energy-draining?" Erk supplies, and Pent laughs.

 

"Yes, exactly! And between that and your studies, you really need to save your strength. So rest, please."  


Instead of answering, Erk raises an eyebrow.

 

Pent winces, realizing the irony of his statement. "Alright, alright. I promise I'll go to bed if you do too."

 

"Promise?"

 

"On Louise's happiness, I swear."

 

They both share a chuckle at that - both Erk and Pent had been the target of Louise's worried ministrations more than once, thanks to their shared tendency to lose track of time and stay cooped up with their books well into the night.

 

"Well, good night," Erk says, shutting his book for good and blowing out one of his candles. "And give Louise my regards for the cookies, those were...wonderful."

 

"Oh, I will."

 

Pent backs out of the room with the now-empty tray, managing to get one last wave in before the door shuts.

 

"Goodnight, son."

 

* * *

 

 

"D'you think he's awake?"

 

"Listen to those  _snores_ , brother. Do you think any conscious person could produce such loud sounds?"

 

Erk exhales in another fake snore and resists the urge to smile.

 

"...Okay, if you say so," Klein acquiesces, albeit grudgingly. "On the count of three?"

 

"One..."

 

"Two..."

 

And even though Erk was expecting it, he can't help the small "oof" that escapes him when both Klein and Clarine land on him heavily.

 

"G'morning, big brother!" Clarine exclaims brightly, and Erk just  _knows_ that if he opens his eyes now, she'll have the most misleading innocent grin on her face.

 

 _Conniving little kid,_ he thinks, but he groans outwardly, pretending to have just woken up.

 

"Morning. You two sure are energetic today, aren't you?"

 

Surprisingly, Klein is the next to speak up. "Dieck's coming over today! He felt bad about it at first, but Father insisted, so me 'n Clarine are gonna show him around the castle!"

 

"Hey, that sounds nice! You three have fun, alright?"

 

Erk stretches, yawns once, and swings his legs over the side of the bed. "Well, I've got to get going now. Studies are calling me."

 

Then, he stands up and tries to walk to the door.

 

Emphasis on "tries."

 

Mildly amused, Erk looks down to see a huffy Clarine clinging onto his right leg.

 

"You're always in that dumb library!" she pouts. "When're you gonna play with us like before, huh?"

 

"Soon," Erk vaguely waves his hands, but his will immediately crumbles when he actually looks down to meet the gazes of both children. "Actually, I take that back - how about we go down to breakfast right now, and I'll ask Pe - Dad - if I can take some time off next week to spend with just you guys. Sound good?"

 

"Let's go!" Klein cheers from somewhere right next to Erk's ear - next to his ear? when did he get up there? - pumping a tiny fist and grinning from ear to ear. "There's toast, right? D'you think there'll be toast?"

 

"There's always toast, brother. Remember that time you gave Mother and Father toast in the morning and they were about to cry out of sheer pride? Ever since then. they've made toast for you whenever they can."

 

"Come  _on,_ Clarine, do you really have to say it like that? It makes me sound like a suck-up."

 

"You asked, dummy."

 

Laughing, Erk rounds the corner (still dragging Klein and Clarine along, though he was really going to run out of strength if this continued for much longer) and nearly runs into Pent.

 

"Good morning, son!" Pent exclaims cheerfully, as if he hadn't just been one wobble away from spilling his entire cup of coffee onto Erk. "Where are the others - ah."

 

Pent looks Erk up and down, takes in the sight of Klein perched precariously on Erk's shoulders and Clarine seating herself...seemingly comfortably on Erk's right foot, barks out a laugh, and bends down to scoop up Clarine with one hand.

 

"And what'll it be for you three this morning? Toast, coffee, eggs, the usual?"

 

"Daddy?" Klein tugs on a strand of Pent's hair. "Could you make a slice of toast for Erk too? As a present from me?"

 

"But of course! Simply seat yourselves and I'll be right along."

 

Erk falls into step next to Pent, mindlessly enjoying the chatter that his siblings keep up, until Pent nudges him gently and whispers "and how are you, my boy? Feeling alright?"

 

"Me? Oh - "

 

Smiling broadly, Erk nudges Pent back as best as he can.

 

"Never been better."

**Author's Note:**

> yell at me on twitter @axlotlols


End file.
